After a two-year hiatus from outdoor living and entertaining in your own backyard, thanks to the pandemic we’ll never forget, there’s a feeling of new beginnings as Madison countians are taking back this spark of normalcy by refreshing their patio surroundings.
While we can at last entertain and visit with our friends and family indoors and out, what better way to say “welcome back” than hosting your own backyard reunion?
If you’re ready to replace or refresh your outdoor furnishings, the market is brimming with great colors, materials, and styles to pick up your mood – and your warm weather traditions – and look forward.
Madison County’s Tommy Stallings, owner of Madison Fireplace and Patio, and Mimi Martinson, owner of Martinson Garden Works, share trends that can bring it all together.
Fortunately, color trends are all over the board, with clean, calming shades of greens and blues gaining the most popularity in 2022, followed by earthy neutrals and even bright, bold statement furnishings with colors that pop.
For those who prefer a lighter, edgy outdoor setting, Boho-chic is back! Think bright colors and mix-match patterns and textures, especially for accent pillows, cushions, and other accessories. Bright colors can also be found in standbys like Adirondack pool chairs and porch swings.
“The trend now is for white houses, so people are choosing grays and lighter neutrals for outdoor furniture, and popping it with cushions and umbrellas in turquoise, canvas (an off-white sail cloth), terra cotta and other colors,” Stallings said.
“Our Adirondack chairs are very popular,” he said. “They’re made of recycled plastic and are very heavy and substantial. Our biggest colors for these are neutrals and grays in colors called wood tones, weathered wood, sea shell (off white) and coastal gray.”
Martinson said she looks at colors as “two schools of thought” – i.e., two different palettes of colors, for indoors and out.
First is monochromatic (using the same color in different shades), a technique that is “definitely on trend” and lends a more sophisticated look, she said.
For example, blending an outdoor color scheme of today’s very trendy white container pots with bleached wood furnishings, a jute rug and different shades of white baskets creates a cohesive atmosphere that can work inside or out.
“Whites and neutrals and bleached woods together are definitely on trend,” she said.
On the other hand, there is plenty to be said for jewel colors, such as sapphire blue, deep red, sienna orange, cranberry, turquoise and citron green.
“We’re seeing that in outdoor accent pillows and other details,” she said. “Since we are all about gardens, we carry a lot of whimsical, colorful items.”
The buzz about materials in today’s outdoor furnishings is “sustainability.” Among materials trending now are recycled plastics, bamboo, natural or recycled fabrics, reclaimed wood, recycled steel and aluminum, natural stone, and recyclable resin, to name a few.
For Martinson, that means plenty of stained wood Adirondack rockers, woven wicker outdoor rockers and “lots of seat cushions in summer colors, including bright yellow,” she said.
You may also find outdoor nylon-woven rope lounge chairs with metal bases and wooden accents that she describes as “super comfortable and very modern.”
Also on her list of sustainably-made items are bamboo shelves and benches, furnishings with rough, or reclaimed wood that is “more rustic looking,” and metals that include cast aluminum, which she describes as “a step up” from iron. “It won’t rust, and it lasts forever.”
Another fun accent piece is the customizable wooden planter bench with space for sitting and showing off flowers or greenery – a great way to fill an empty outdoor corner or as a side piece.
On any given day, you may also find metal benches in red, green, dark blue, or other colors at her shop.
Madison Fireplace and Patio carries an abundance of reclaimed teak from the Philippians often starting as “recycled old carts,” Stallings said, and becoming beautiful dining pieces.
Today’s chaise lounge chairs sport woven vinyl made from recycled plastic. And with frames made of aluminum or steel, you can skip the rust and just get out the hose for easy cleaning, Stallings said.
“That means no wrought iron, no maintenance, no painting,” with tones in darker, bronze colors being the most popular now.
Woven rope is trending now for sofas, chairs of all sizes, and other substantial pieces for comfortable seating.
And lastly, Stallings calls the recycled Adirondack chairs he carries “the best product we have,” proven by its quality and a warranty that last two decades.
With the pandemic winding down, many have come to make the most of spending more time in their homes and have found their own ways of bringing more of the outdoors into their living space.
What does this blurring of indoor/outdoor space look like? Exterior and interior flooring may blend into a new “outdoor room” accented with playful industrial-grade rugs to allow more space for outdoor dining and entertaining.
Additions like outdoor kitchens are all the rage, along with larger meal tables, seating for lounging, dining, or fireside time, bar areas or modular “deep seating” for conversation.
Another trending touch will mean live greenery will likely find its way into these areas – either in large colorful pots or even as vertical gardens.
Whether you already know what kind of outdoor space you’d like to create or you just want to see what’s out there, it’s always smart to discuss your ideas and questions with reputable local sources.
Stallings’ shop is filled with prominent lines of furnishings for dining, poolside, bar time, lounging, conversational seating and fireside warmth, along with accent pieces, outdoor grills and more.
He offers one suggestion for shoppers: “The best thing I can say is to look for quality,” he said. “Spend your money on good products and you’ll keep them a very long time. If it’s made of quality materials, it can always be updated with pillows and accent pieces. Purchase things you love, and that will last.”
Martinson’s approach is a bit unconventional, but clearcut. “I don’t do the typical outdoor stuff,” she said. “I call our things ‘outdoor patio and porch living,’ or just ‘porch furniture,’ like benches, rocking chairs, mid-century modern styles – things that will take the elements.
“This also includes rugs, firepits, benches, smaller tables and high-end teak tables. And no table and chair matching.
“I’m always changing things,” she said, “and our items are across the board so you can find things that fit your own style.”
